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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615100">One Day at a Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldieHawn/pseuds/GoldieHawn'>GoldieHawn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Ian Gallagher, Canon Compliant, Comforting Mickey Milkovich, Depression, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Mickey Milkovich Loves Ian Gallagher, Protective Lip Gallagher, Soft Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:08:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldieHawn/pseuds/GoldieHawn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian looked up at Mickey with those puppy dog eyes that he always melts over. “Could you stay with me?” </p><p>Mickey rubbed Ian’s shoulder, where his hand was already resting. He sat up ever so slightly, and motioned for Ian to come closer. “Of course.” Ian brought himself to lay on his husband's chest. It felt so comforting, and with that his eye’s closed and he eventually drifted off.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>236</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Day at a Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Gallagher house today had been quiet… too quiet. Debby had gone out with Sandy, Liam and Franny were at school, Frank was out doing god knows what, and Carl was at work. That left Mickey bored out of his mind and confused on why he was sitting alone on the couch without his favorite ginger in sight. They finally had an off day and he wanted to spend it relaxing with his husband. He knew Lip was coming over soon, but he had some time to kill beforehand, so he made his way upstairs to their bedroom, expecting to find Ian. He was in fact there, but he was half asleep on their bed. Mickey walked in, sitting on the bed, and patted Ian. </p><p>“It’s like two o’clock; why’d you go back to bed?”</p><p>Ian, barely awake, rubbed his eyes and focused on the figure in front of him. “Huh?”</p><p>“You not get much sleep last night or something?” Mickey questioned as he leaned back onto his elbows, still keeping eye contact with his husband. </p><p>“Eh, I don’t feel good.” He sighed and turned over, to now face Mickey.</p><p>“Maybe because you barely ate anything. You left all of your breakfast on the table and Frank swiped it.”</p><p>“I wasn’t hungry.”</p><p>“You can’t take your meds on an empty stomach. Didja take ‘em yet?”</p><p>“Not yet. I was getting to it.”</p><p>“Why don’t I get you something to eat and you can take them now?” Mickey looked at him with an encouraging eyebrow raise.</p><p>Ian groaned and rolled his eyes. “I really don’t feel like it right now. I just wanted to rest. I’m slow today.”</p><p>Mickey paused for a moment to consider what he was saying. “You can't just not take them though.”</p><p>“It’s one day, it won’t make a difference. By the time it processes I'll be taking them again.” Ian pleaded.</p><p>Mickey adjusted himself to lay properly on the bed alongside his husband. He turned to his side, propping his head up on his elbow. “How ‘bout we can relax for an hour or two, and we can try again after that? You’re taking them at least once today. And you’re getting something in your system.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay… I just don’t want to do anything right now. Everything seems too hard.”</p><p>Mickey looked into the eyes of the man across from him and brought his hand to grace his shoulder. “That’s okay. You seemed fine this morning?”</p><p>“Mmm, I don’t know. I felt kinda out of it. And everyone was running around the kitchen, it felt overwhelming and I couldn’t really focus.”</p><p>“I should've noticed...”</p><p>“No, no. It’s not that bad, really. I’m just tired.”</p><p>“What can I do?”</p><p>Ian looked up at Mickey with those puppy dog eyes that he always melts over. “Could you stay with me?”</p><p>Mickey rubbed Ian’s shoulder, where his hand was already resting. He sat up ever so slightly, and motioned for Ian to come closer. “Of course.” Ian brought himself to lay on his husband's chest. It felt so comforting, and with that, his eye’s closed and he eventually drifted off. Mickey ran his fingers through his red, fiery hair. Some time passes. Mickey doesn’t mind being there with Ian, in fact he loved it. He loved the feeling of his husband gripping onto him, the warmness of his body. He loved the sight of him sleeping, how soft and gracious he was. They didn’t really cuddle that much; it just wasn’t them. Mickey would always swat Ian off if he got too touchy and it wasn’t sexual. He just hated to admit that he liked it. </p><p>Mickey heard the front door creak open, and shortly after, a familiar voice. “Yo, anyone home?” Lip’s question almost echoed throughout the quiet house. Mickey picked up his phone, and texted into Lip’s contact.</p><p>‘MICK : hey were upstairs but shut the fuck up ian is sleeping’</p><p>‘LIP : we’re*’</p><p>At that moment, Mickey heard the footsteps get louder and louder and soon his brother-in-law was knocking on the door with a single knuckle. He slowly walked in and his expression lightened at the sight of the couple. </p><p>“Mickey Milkovich letting someone lay on his chest? I’ll be damned” Lip smirked, greeting him.</p><p>“Yeah yeah, no photos allowed, rare attraction.” Mickey added onto the joke. “Yeah uh... He’s not feeling good.”</p><p>Lip’s expression quickly went serious. “Like… mentally?” Mickey nodded, confirming his question. “Is he taking his meds?”</p><p>Mickey hesitated to answer, knowing Lip wouldn’t be happy. “He didn’t take them today, but he’s taking them.”</p><p>“You let him skip?” Lip got a bit loud and ready for an argument to start.</p><p>“Look I’m not gluing my eye’s on him every time he takes his fuckin’ pills, Jesus. I told him he could sleep for a little bit, but he has to take them. He needs his space,. If I’m constantly reminding him to take them everyday it’s just gonna make him not want to.”</p><p>Lip softened a little bit at his response, not wanting to admit he agreed. “Okay, okay. We- we just can’t have him off his meds again, it’s never good.”</p><p>“I got it handled.” Mickey felt a bit offended that Lip thought he would be so careless. “I wouldn’t let that happen.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know. I’m just concerned… How bad is it?”</p><p>“It’s not that bad. He was up this morning, y’know? He got out of bed. And he was talking to me before he fell asleep. And he wasn’t telling me to fuck off either or anything. So that’s good, right?”</p><p>“I think so, yeah.” Lip nodded and he paused to look at his brother, fast asleep, still on his husband’s chest. “Thank you.” Mickey furrowed his eyebrows, confused on the statement. “For looking out for him. Taking care of him. You’re good for him.”</p><p>Mickey was happy with Lip's comment. He’s used to being told that he’s not good enough or he’s not committed to him, all that bullshit. He didn’t really know how to respond to it though. “Uh, yeah.”</p><p>“I just wanted to pop in, I figured we’d hang out a bit. Why don’t I stop by tonight or in the morning?”</p><p>“Sure.” Mickey accepted, beginning to focus more on his Gallagher again. </p><p>“If he’s not feeling better by morning, then we can start to worry about it.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” Mickey responded, even though he’s always worried.</p><p>“Just make sure he takes his pills.” Lip reminded him. Mickey nodded and Lip had left the house. He actually needed that reminder. He had let more time than what he told Ian go by and he needed to keep his word. He nudged his husband awake, his eyes heavy and he confusingly glanced up at Mickey.</p><p>“Hey sleepyhead, you need to eat something, take your meds.” He placed a hand on Ian’s arm.</p><p>“No, no. Please.” Ian whined.</p><p>“Only something small. Please?” Mickey was given a look of protest. “Can you try? For me?”</p><p>Ian felt bad to make Mickey worry, so with that, he nodded his head. </p><p>“Can you get out of bed or should I bring it up?”</p><p>“I can go downstairs.” Ian slowly sat up and pushed himself out of bed.</p><p>Mickey smiled in relief. He was expecting the worst when waking him up. They both entered the kitchen and Mickey started to make some late- very late- breakfast for his husband. Ian sat on the stool at the counter, trying to keep himself awake as he nursed a glass of water. Mickey put a plate of eggs and three pills in front of him. The redhead sighed at the sight. Mickey ruffled his hair. </p><p>“Here’s your 4:30 breakfast.” Mickey joked.</p><p>“I can’t eat this much, Mick…” Ian sounded disappointed in himself</p><p>Mickey dropped his shoulders. “It’s only two eggs.” He complained. Seeing how Ian was looking at the plate, he softened up and turned back around to rub both of Ian’s shoulders from behind. “You don’t need to eat all of it. Just try to have a little bit, okay?” Ian nodded and Mickey kissed the top of his head, sitting down at the stool next to him. Some more time goes by. Ian got through about half of it, and got his meds down with a little bit more encouragement from Mickey through the process. </p><p>Mickey rubbed his husband’s arm yet again. “I’m proud of you.”</p><p>Ian sighed and looked over to Mickey. “For what?”</p><p>“For powering through. You got this. And I’m here to do it with you.”</p><p>“It’s so hard…”</p><p>“I know.”  Mickey brought Ian closer. “One day at a time.”</p>
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